Summoning Hellgates was formed back in 2021 by the duo of S. Augusto and A. Garcia, two musicians that have been involved in a variety of different bands in the Spanish underground. Their debut EP Spear of Conquest shows that both the band and EP name reflect the type of intensity and bludgeoning nature of the music, as the twenty-one minute and six track effort doesn’t let up from its hybrid of black and death metal for a single second. It’s a familiar style often recalling some of their label Osmose Productions’ prolific 90s output, but the precision of the attack and strength of the riffs make this a strong first statement.
Spear of Conquest begins with ominous instrumentation and spoken word that build up methodically to a much harsher peak. It’s an appropriate level of harshness for when “Conciliábulo” takes over, as this song goes for a mid-tempo death metal passage that then gives way to blasting black/death metal. It’s a familiar sound where the lines between the two genres are very blurred, with the material moving from all-out fast paced attacks to slightly slower but still very dense instrumentation. The steamroll approach is reminiscent of Angelcorpse as well as fellow Spaniards like Proclamation, but there are nuances to the writing that give Summoning Hellgates a slightly different feel. Where a lot of this type of material starts to collapse inwards in the hands of less experienced musicians, the ebb and flow of Spear of Conquest showcases quite a bit of skill, especially on songs like “Tongues in the Threshold” where there are subtle shifts that let some darker, nightmarish atmosphere seep in. It certainly feels straightforward the first time through, but as I went through this EP again and again certain passages started to stick out more and it became clear there was a bit more variation compared to the “bestial” types of groups in this genre. That’s not to say there is room for Summoning Hellgates to branch out, as they can definitely build on the way their attacks reach their peak but given the concise twenty-one-minute length the straightforward and brute force approach works well on this initial outing.
The power of the instrumentals plays a big part in establishing Summoning Hellgates as a force to be reckoned with, but it’s the vocal performance of A. Garcia that gives it that additional edge. Even on the more subdued intro “Invokation” the spoken word has a much sharper tone that creates tension from the very start, and by the time the rest of the material takes over things have transitioned to a much harsher range. Garcia has the type of scream/growl that reaches some very low pitches but can kick back up into more of a scream/shriek when you least expect it, and at times it reminded me of the similarly violent Ebola from Cryfemal/Muert. Spear of Conquest’s production values work well to balance the vocals and instrumentals, letting the growls and screams just barely break through the wall of sound without letting them overpower everything.
There are a lot of familiar elements at work on Summoning Hellgates’ debut EP, yet the strength of the riffs and vocals have kept me coming back to this one day after day. The precision of the attack and subtle shifts that make the songs a bit more distinguishable from each other goes a long way, and while a full-length may need a bit more variation to keep from becoming stale on this type of shorter burst it works to the band’s advantage. This material seems like it has been in the works for a decent amount of time, and with this strong of a foundation in place I look forward to hearing just how far the band can take things on their next effort. Spear of Conquest is available from Osmose Productions.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg